Merityre Article Archive

The onset of autumn is the time when you need to start thinking about winter car care checks. Your car tyres, lights, antifreeze, as well as several other key components, all need to be checked. By doing this will it help minimise or even avoid situations where you have to cope with problems such as cold mornings or icy roads.

1) The condition of your car tyres is particularly important. They are the only contact that your car has with the road. Your car tyres will have to work extra hard when the road is wet or icy, to give maximum traction and control.

Car tyres should have a good tread and as little wear as possible. Think about changing to winter car tyres when conditions demand it.

The alignment of your wheels is another thing you should consider as part of your winter car care checks. Wheels that are out of alignment will create unnecessary wear on your car tyres, which will cause extra steering problems when driving on wet or icy roads.

2) You should regularly check the engine coolant level. Add the correct mixture of anti-freeze before you need it to protect your engine from possible frost damage. Add the proper proportions of anti-freeze to the windscreen washer as well. This allows you to wash your screen even when temperature falls below freezing.

Check the engine oil levels on a weekly basis using the dipstick. It is important to maintain the oil level between the minimum and maximum marks indicated. The best time to check the oil level is when the engine is cold.

3) The pressures of your car tyres are important. Maintaining the recommended pressure improves a car tyre’s performance in difficult driving conditions.

Remember to check the spare tyre’s pressure and tread depth. Make sure that it is a similar condition to the other tyres or is adequate to use for a short period of time, until the damaged tyre can be repaired or replaced.

4) Your car lights are important, especially in winter when there is reduced daylight and much of your driving will require the lights to be used. Check that all bulbs are working properly. It is best to carry spares, as well as the tools to replace them. Have the alignment of your lights checked at a garage to give yourself the maximum vision possible, and to prevent blinding other drivers.

5) Check the condition of your windscreen wipers. Make sure they clean the screen adequately to allow a clear view of the road. If in doubt then replace them; it is not expensive to do.

If you are not comfortable doing the checks yourself, a local car garage will be able help. They will inspect the car to make sure everything is in good working order, ready to endure the adverse weather condition and the darker nights that the winter season brings.

As an extra precaution there are some items that are useful to carry in your boot at all times. A reflective jacket, shovel, tow rope, jump leads, water and extra screen wash will help in most situations. And a warm coat, gloves, boots and some biscuits will certainly be appreciated if your car breaks down in an isolated location.

Article Resource
Merityre.co.uk are a leading UK independent supplier of car tyres. Visit their website for free vouchers, including 10% off your next MOT, free wheel alignment check and free locking wheel nuts.

If you are looking for ways to save money on motoring costs then some simple adjustments to your driving style can really help the budget.

It is not just fuel consumption that your driving style has an impact on. The rate of tyre wear can be directly linked to the way your car is driven. Ask a boy racer who favours fast driving and spinning tyres how often he has to replace his car tyres compared to a more sedate driver. One thing is for sure- the boy racer will have less money in his pocket because of his higher motoring costs.

This article highlights five ways to change your driving habits and reduce car tyre wear:

1. Careful cornering

Aggressive cornering will cause extra wear on your car tyres. If you corner harder one way than you do the other way, then expect to get uneven wear on your car tyres. It also puts unnecessary stress on key components of your car’s steering and suspension mechanism, helping to wear them out faster too.

2. Gradual acceleration

Accelerating hard from a standing start will put extra wear on your car tyres, especially the front tyres, which wear out faster than the back ones in any case. It also puts strain on your car’s drive shaft and gearbox, as well as several other components. All of these parts are expensive to replace.

3. Keep to the speed limits

Driving regularly at high speed will help to wear out your car tyres faster than if you travel at a more reasonable speed. At high speeds the temperature of tyres increases. This wears out car tyres faster.

4. Avoid hard braking

Braking hard places the entire load onto the front tyres, which helps to accelerate wear. It also wears out brake pads faster and puts all kinds of stresses on the whole car. Of course you will need to brake hard in an emergency; that’s what the brakes are for, but remember to go easy when you don’t have to.

5. Maintain recommended car tyre pressures

A car tyre that is inflated below its recommended pressure will wear faster because of its higher operating temperature and the extra flexing of the rubber. Over inflation can also increase wear due to the decreased size of the contact area between the tyre and the road.

Driving with unequal pressures in your car tyres will lead to increased wear. It can be potentially dangerous as the balance of the car is upset and cornering with unevenly pressurised tyres can lead to unpredictable results.

These days replacing car tyres has become less expensive as there is a greater selection of budget tyres available for most vehicle types and driving styles. But at this time of high petrol costs and with the financial pressures of a poor economy any saving, however small it may be, is a bonus.

Consult a car tyre specialist. They will be able to inspect your tyre to ensure their road worthiness and also provide advice on how to adjust your driving style based on the wear of your current car tyres.

Article Resource
Merityre.co.uk are a leading UK independent supplier of car tyres. Visit their website for free vouchers, including 10% off your next MOT, free wheel alignment check and free locking wheel nuts.

Car tyres are an everyday object that we take for granted. But without them driving would be a very different experience. Any fan of Formula One Racing will be able to tell you about the importance of tyres. To keep up in a conversation with a motor sport fan, I have compiled five interesting facts that you may not know about car tyres:

1. There are several different types of car tyres, not just budget or expensive. The type of tyre you choose depends on factors such as the vehicle’s make, the desired performance, how you drive your car and the driving conditions.

Five different tyre classifications are:

a) All Weather
b) Wet Weather
c) All Terrain
d) Mud
e) Performance

A wet weather tyre will handle the harsher conditions of winter better than a performance tyre, which is suited to summer driving.

The tyre types differ in the rubber compound used (soft or hard) and the tread patterns. These can affect driving in terms of grip, performance, tyre noise and wear. For instance All Terrain tyres have large tread block patterns that are very noisy on normal roads but have great grip when driving off road.

If in doubt about which type of car tyre is best for you then consult a car tyre specialist such as Merityre for advice.

2. Over 40 million car tyres are disposed of by tyre retailers, garages and vehicle dismantlers every year. Responsible companies pay for the tyres to be disposed of in an environmentally friendly fashion.

A 2006 EU directive banned the disposal of almost all tyres in landfill sites. Many are re-used after having new tread applied. Others are shredded and used in carpet underlay or for road re-surfacing. An emerging market is energy recovery. It is hoped that tyres could partially replace coal as a fuel source for many industries.

Car tyres can be re-used at home in the garden. Ideas include as a raised bed for planting flowers or herbs, a basic composter, as part of a children’s playground or the old favourite- a car tyre swing.

3. Car tyres inflated to the vehicle manufacturer’s recommended pressure can improve fuel economy by 10%.

Under inflated tyres increase the rolling resistance on the road and if one tyre is a different pressure to the others an imbalance is created. It makes the car engine work harder, using more fuel.

4. The legal minimum tread depth for a car tyre is 1.6mm. This applies to the entire circumference of the tyre.
Most tyres have a tread wear indicator built into them. It is a horizontal bar of rubber located between the tread patterns, at a depth of 2mm. When the height of the tread wears down to the height of this bar it is time to consider replacing your car tyres.

5. New car tyres need running in. This is where the Formula One fan can help. They will be able to tell you the tyres on the racing cars improve after a certain amount of use. The same applies to our new tyres but not really for the same reasons as a Formula One car.

A new car tyre is formed in a mould which is lined with a non stick coating. The coating is needed to be able to remove the tyre from the mould. It creates a wonderful shiny appearance on a new tyre but also reduces grip. It can take up to 500 miles to scrub the coating from the tyre. During this time it is advised to take extra care when driving fast, on corners or bends and driving in the wet.

Car tyres inflated to their correct tyre pressure can save the motorists up to 10% on their fuel bill. But a survey by TyreSafe reveals many are ignoring this advice.

The survey coincides with the start of Tyre Safety Month; a campaign to highlight the dangers of driving without the correct tyre pressures.

Maintaining the car manufacturer’s recommended tyre pressure can:

1) Increase safety by improving the vehicle’s braking, steering and accelerating performance.

2) Prolongs the life of a car tyre.

3) Save money by reducing fuel consumption. Under inflated tyres have a larger contact patch with the road surface, which increases drag and causes the car engine to work harder.

4) Have a positive environmental impact by reducing the number of tyres that need to be disposed of and reduce harmful gas emissions from the car engine.

TyreSafe’s advice is to check air pressures at least once a month and always before a long journey. Motorists should use the manufacturer’s recommended tyre pressure. This can be found in the vehicle’s handbook or on a plate inside the fuel filler flap.

While checking air pressure conduct a visual inspection of the car tyre to ensure it is in good condition. Look for cracks or unusual bulges. Stones lodged in the tyre tread should be removed. If in any doubt about the tyre’s condition consult a specialist such as Merityre for a free car tyre check.

It’s a legal requirement to maintain a tread depth of a minimum 1.6mm in a continuous band throughout the central three-quarters of the tread width and over the whole circumference of the tyre. Most tyres have a tread wear indicator. Look for a horizontal bar of rubber located between the tread patterns, at a depth of 2mm. When the height of the tread wears down to the height of this bar it is time to replace the car tyres.

Other tips suggested by TyreSafe include:

1) Check the pressures when the car tyres are cold.

2) Adjust the car tyres pressure when travelling with increased weight from passengers or a heavy load. Towing a trailer or caravan will also require the pressures to be increased. The vehicle’s handbook will advise on the correct tyre pressure required.

3) Don’t forget to check the pressure of the spare tyre.

4) Ensure the pressure gauge used is reliable and accurate.

5) Always replace the dirt free valve cap.

Rob Beddis, TyreSafe chairman, says; ‘By taking just a few minutes every month to check the pressure of each tyre and adjust it to the recommended level, significant improvements to road safety will be made and motorists could also save money through reducing fuel consumption.’

For more information about the TyreSafe campaign visit their website at www.tyresafe.org.

Last year an EU Landfill Directive banned the disposal of almost all tyres in landfill sites. So what can you do with old car tyres?

Car Tyre specialists like Merityre pay over a £1 to ensure every used tyre is disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner. And when they have over 200,000 to get rid off each year the money really starts to add up.

Nationally, tyre retailers, garages and vehicle dismantlers collect over 40 million tyres a year. 12% of these are reused after having a new tread applied. More innovative uses include creating flood defences. Others are recycled and used for products such as carpet underlay or road surfaces. An emerging market is energy recovery. It is hoped that tyres could partly replace coal as fuel source for many industries.

There are ways we can reuse car tyres at home rather than sending them to specialist disposal companies. Here are 10 great ideas:

1. Raised Beds
Car tyres are ideal for creating a raised bed for planting flowers, herbs or vegetables. A single tyre works well for lettuce and herbs. Use two or three tyres to grow potatoes.

Paint the car tyre bright colours to create a wonderful display when planting flowers.

2. Resoling Shoes
Use the rubber from the car tyre to resole shoes. It is very hard wearing.

Alternatively add a piece of leather and create a pair of sandals or flip flops.

3. Car Tyre Swing
Most people have memories of playing on a tyre swing when they were young.

Just use some strong rope and securely attach the car tyre to a sturdy tree branch for hours of fun.

4. Boat Bumper
Boat owners can attach the car tyres to the boat’s sides, to act as protective bumpers. Very useful when docking a boat.

5. Children’s Playground
Rather than spending a fortune on equipment from a garden centre, use a little imagination, some old wooden planks and a few car tyres to create a great adventure playground for the children.

6. Forcing Rhubarb
Forcing Rhubarb (growing rhubarb in dark conditions) has been practised since the early 19th century. It produces vibrant pink rhubarb that is far more delicate in flavour than the usual variety.

Place two or three car tyres around the plant just before it starts emerging from the ground. Cover the tyres with a piece of wood to create a warm, dark environment. From December to the end of March you will be enjoying succulent and sweet early rhubarb.

7. Sand Pits
Large tractor tyres are perfect for making a sandpit for the children. Just buy the special sand from a garden centre and fill the tyre.

8. Mini Greenhouse
Cover the car tyre with a piece of clear polythene to create a mini greenhouse or propagator. The thick rubber wall of the tyre is excellent insulation for creating a warm environment to germinate seeds.

9. Table
Place a flat piece of wood on top of two or three tyres for an easy to assemble table, suitable for the indoors or outside. Paint the tyres for a better effect.

10. Composter or Wormery
Three or four tyres stacked together create a simple composter. The warm environment created by the car tyres will make short work of composting kitchen waste and grass clipping. Access the compost by removing one tyre at a time from the top.

Ask your local garage for old car tyres. Not only will you be helping them with disposal, you will reuse a non biodegradable product in an environmentally friendly fashion.

Car tyres maybe essential when driving a vehicle but they are also extremely useful around the home and garden.

Check car tyres regularly for any signs of wear. This is important as they are the only point of contact between a car and the road. Any deterioration of the tread or damage to the sidewalls may be risking an accident.

The basic legal requirements for car tyres are:

a) Tread Depth must be a minimum of 1.6mm. This applies to the entire circumference of the tyre. A bald patch on a tyre, where the tread depth is below the minimum requirement, is against the law. Check a tyre after a skid or emergency braking as this is when bald patches can occur.

b) Tyres must be inflated to the correct pressure. Consult the vehicle manufacturer’s handbook to find the recommended pressure. Not only is this a legal requirement, it improves the vehicle’s handling and reduces fuel consumption.

c) All four car tyres must be compatible and in good condition. If a car tyre needs replacing it will need to be in the same condition as the others otherwise all four will need to be changed.

Factors that can affect the rate of car tyre wear include:

1. Make of Car Tyres

Every car tyre is designed differently to meet specific criteria. Long life tyres are made from a harder rubber compound. This can increase the noise when driving. A softer tyre compound will be quieter but will wear out faster. A car tyre specialist such as Merityre can offer advice on the different types of car tyre.

2. Position of Car Tyre

Front tyres wear out faster than back tyres, especially if the car is front wheel drive. The extra wear is caused by the movement through steering. On a four wheel drive vehicle the front car tyres should exceed 20,000 miles. This is half the expected life of the back tyres.

3. Weight of Vehicle

The heavier the vehicle the faster the car tyres wear.

4. Tyre Pressure

A car tyre that is inflated below its recommended pressure will wear faster because of its higher operating temperature and the extra flexing of the rubber. Over inflation can also increase wear due to the decreased size of the contact area between the tyre and the road.

5. Speed

Driving at high speeds increases the car tyre temperature and accelerates the wear.

6. Car Tyre Alignment

Incorrect alignment of car tyres causes uneven and increased wear.

7. Driving Style

Aggressive cornering, accelerating and braking excessively are all causes of car tyre wear.

One factor that is unavoidable is time. Tyres deteriorate naturally over time due to the effects of the weather. Car tyres on vehicles kept outside will degrade faster than those kept in a garage. Cracking due to sunlight exposure usually becomes evident on car tyres that are five years or older. When this happens, as with any signs of wear, replace the car tyre immediately.

After extensive testing at Bridgestone’s headquarters in Italy, leading UK motoring magazine Auto Express have published their top 16 car tyres on the market today.

They focused on the current best selling 16-inch tyres. A series of simple assessments were carried out in the wet and the dry. The ten brands that came out on top were;

1. Goodyear Hydragrip

2. Vredestein Sportrac3

3. Continental Contipremium- Contact 2

4. Michelin Primacy HP

5. Bridgestone Turanza ER300

6. Uniroyal Rainsport 1

7. Toyo Proxes T1R

8. Dunlop Fastresponse

9. BFGoodrich G-Force Profiler

10.Maxxis Victra MA-Z1

But what should you look out for when buying a car tyre and why not just go for the cheapest?

Buying inexpensive car tyres will save you money in the short term. But the tyres will wear out faster and need replacing more often than better quality, more expensive alternatives.

Another consideration is whether the cheaper tyres are the correct type for your vehicle. Incorrect or poorly manufactured car tyres can affect your car’s handling, which in turn can increase fuel consumption and will cost you more in the long term.

If you are finding it difficult to choose between two different tyre brands there are three other important factors to consider:

1. Braking Ability

It is not only the quality of the brakes that determine how quickly a car is brought to a halt. Car tyres are a major factor; with some tyres working better in different driving conditions than others.

2. Tread Patterns

The design of the car tyre’s tread pattern can affect its handling in wet and dry conditions. Aquaplaning can be a problem in wet conditions and different tread patterns are better at preventing this happening.

3. Tyre Noise

Certain car tyres are quieter than others, which is an important factor if you spend much of your time driving up and down the motorways.

The best approach when buying new car tyres is to visit an independent car tyre specialist such as Merityre.co.uk. They have experts who can provide you with impartial advice on the best tyres, based on your vehicle’s requirements and your driving circumstances.

Every year the motorist is faced with the ordeal of the MOT test, unless their car is less than three years old. The purpose of an MOT is to ensure the vehicle complies with road safety and environmental standards. Without it car owners are unable to obtain a tax disc for driving on public roads.

But what does the MOT tester look out for? Is it car tyres or fuel emissions? It can become expensive when the vehicle fails and needs to be re-tested. To help achieve a first time pass, this 10 point checklist highlights the main components that are included in an MOT test:

1. Brakes

The car’s brakes are tested on a ‘roller brake tester’ to assess their condition, performance and efficiency. Brakes that ‘lock up’ when applied may fail. Other areas to watch out for are loose brake pedals and signs of leaking brake fluid.

2. Doors and Mirrors

Ensure the doors open and close correctly, from the inside and the outside of the vehicle. Car locks need to work adequately. Wing and rear view mirrors must be present and in good condition. A cracked wing mirror may result in a fail.

3. Exhaust System and Emissions

The car will need to pass specific exhaust emission requirements, depending on its age and fuel type. The exhaust system should not have holes or leaks, often caused by rust.

4. Car Bodywork

Excessive rust corrosion, damage or sharp edges on the car’s bodywork may result in a fail.

5. Wheels and Car Tyres

The tread depth on a car tyre must be a minimum of 1.6mm. The car tyre needs to be the correct type for the vehicle and have no signs of excessive wear or damage. It is recommended to consult a car tyres specialist to check this. Ensure all the wheel nuts are present as any missing will result in a fail. Spare tyres are not tested.

6. Windscreen, Wipers and Washer

The wiper blades need to be in good condition and the windscreen washer must contain fluid. The windscreen cannot have any large cracks and must have clear visibility.

7. Lights and Indicators

All lights and indicators need to work correctly, including the hazard lights. Check that the headlamps dip to the correct angle and are not loose.

8. Seats and seatbelts

Ensure all seats are secure in the upright position. It is compulsory for seatbelts to be fitted in the front and back of a car. They must be the correct type and in good, working condition.

9. Steering, suspension and horn

All three need to be in good condition and work correctly. Make sure the horn is the right type for the vehicle. Ensure the wheels are correctly aligned and the car tyre pressures are correct, as these can affect the vehicle’s steering.

10. Registration Plate and Vehicle Identification Number

The registration plate needs to be in the correct format, legible and in good condition. Every car used after the 1st August 1980 must have its vehicle identification number clearly displayed.

Lights, brakes, suspension and car tyres are the four most common reasons why a car will fail its MOT. This checklist is intended as a guide to improve your cars chance of passing. If in any doubt we recommend consulting your local garage before taking the MOT test.

As oil prices continue to rise motorists need to find new ways to reduce fuel consumption. By spending an extra 5 minutes at the petrol station, checking car tyres are inflated to the manufacturer’s recommended pressure, fuel economy can be improved by 10%. This means a saving of £10 a week based on a weekly fuel spend of £100. In a year this adds up to a saving of £520, just by having correct car tyre pressures.

Incorrect car tyres pressure causes higher fuel use in two ways:

• Soft tyres increase rolling resistance on the road.
• If one tyre is a different pressure to the rest then there is an imbalance creating increased tyre resistance.

Both reasons make the car engine work harder and use more fuel.

Car tyre pressure should be checked weekly. Merityre Car Tyres has a useful video, providing tips and guidance on inflating your car tyres correctly.

By maintaining correct car tyre pressures money is also saved by:

• Increasing the life of the car tyre. Soft tyres wear faster and their sidewalls are damaged.
• Improving a car’s performance, especially braking and road handling.
• Avoiding a £2,500 fine per car tyre if they are deemed not roadworthy.

Five other suggestions by the AA for saving fuel consumption are:

1. Keep to the speed limit on motorways. Driving 15mph above the 70 mph speed limit increases fuel consumption by 20-25%.
2. Check the best route for your destination before departing. Listen to radio for updates on traffic jams and road closures.
3. Keep a safe distance from the car ahead. Tailgating causes excessive braking and acceleration, which uses more fuel.
4. Don’t drive with a roof rack as this can add up to 10% on fuel consumption. An open window can also disrupt air flow adding an extra 3-6%.
5. Use air conditioning only when really necessary. It can increase fuel consumption by 11%.

These suggestions and correct car tyre pressures will contribute to a small but significant reduction in fuel costs, benefiting the environment and helping to reduce our carbon footprint.